Malaysian Paper Apologizes Over Tsunami Cartoon

Rob Tornoe reports that Berita Harian, one of Malaysia’s main daily newspapers, apologized Monday after running a cartoon drawn by Mohd Zohri Sukimi (who goes by the pen name “Zoy”) showing the popular Japanese icon Ultraman running away from an oncoming tsunami in their Sunday comment page (featured above).

“We do not intend to be insensitive or to poke fun at last Friday’s incident,” the paper said in a front-page apology Monday, adding that it was “very sympathetic” to the plight of the Japanese people.

Khairy Jamaluddin, leader of the youth wing of the ruling United Malays National Organization, wrote on his Twitter feed that the cartoon was “totally insensitive towards the Japanese people” and asked the paper to say sorry.